Poiema

Lord, thank you for my wife Sarah, she is incredible. This morning I was doing my devotion and reading Becoming a King by Morgan Snyder. He was talking about how many of us look at ourselves as sinners, but God sees us as children, as loved, as accepted, as Saints. Morgan was making the point that we live and operate based on who we believe ourselves to be. Ephesians 2:10 says we are your masterpiece - Poiema in Greek. I have been away from Sarah for about 5 days, I miss her, I miss her touch and the beauty she brings to our home. Help me to do my part, help me to Love her like Christ loved the church, and own my responsibility for her seeing and knowing she is a masterpiece in your eyes, that is how you created her, I don't want to ever be a negative voice in her ear making her believe she is a sinner when she is a saint. She is your masterpiece, and when her identity lies there she is an ever-expanisive garden bringing beauty to the world. - Amen

20 Years Celebrated in Roma

Last night was incredible. We went out to dinner here in Florence to celebrate our 20th anniversary.

You got ready next to the window of our amazing hotel with wonderful violin music plying down in the pavilion, then we had drinks on the roof top of our hotel with Brooke and Siena, the views of the city with the sunset were gorgeous, then we wandered the streets of Florence until our dinner at 10:45…as we waited we sipped Prosecco in the street. Our dinner was so delicious, pear ravioli, florentine steak, and red wine. It was so good. After dinner we roamed the quite streets exploring the beauty of the city. We got back to the hotel around 2…then we fell asleep in each others arms watching Letters to Juliette and woke up a little after 3. It was wild, and wonderful…our bed smelled like blooming flowers, you are mysterious, exotic, and mine. I love you.

Freedom in Rome

Hi love. It’s July 18th. We are packing up from this wonderful Airbnb you found us in Travestere, Italy. I am sitting on the couch in the living room and you are getting ready for the day in the room, you are singing while getting ready, I love hearing you sing.

Last night we laid in bed and talked, it was really good, both of us leaning in and learning to love each other well. After we watched a movie (The Ugly Truth, so funny) while you packed your stuff in underwear and a T-shirt…so cute. You were dancing while packing, you had a song stuck in your head. I love the moments like this morning and last night, free to sing, dance, share your heart, and all with me and only me. I love you Sarah. - Ned

A little more from yesterday….

We visited the sistine chapel, wow! Incredible. You got us a wonderful tour, it was great to learn so much. Seeing the tomb of Peter was the highlight for sure. After the tour we came home and all fell asleep. Then we went out to dinner at 11, we had a great time with the girls at dinner, our waiter Allen was great! Then we went and you had a cigarette with the girls for their first time, we all laughed a lot.